Faculty Friday with Michelle Cann

Happy Faculty Friday, everyone! Each Friday we will feature one of our many amazing faculty members at Luzerne Music Center. We asked all of our instructors to tell us a little bit about themselves, and to share their favorite things about LMC.

This week we'd like to introduce you to Michelle Cann. Michelle is one of our Junior Session piano faculty members, and we're so glad she's spending another summer in Lake Luzerne with us!

Share with us some of your professional accomplishments.

I started playing the piano at age 7 and since have gone on to receive top prizes in state, national, and international competitions including the International Russian Piano Music Competition, the Blount Young Artists National Competition, and most recently the 2014 Wideman International Piano Competition. After receiving my BM and MM degrees, I went on to receive an Artist Diploma degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. I currently reside in Philadelphia, PA where I am on staff at the Curtis Institute of a Music as one of their collaborative pianists.

What excites you about Luzerne Music Center?

What I find exciting about Luzerne is its balance between work and play for the young students in attendance. The students are getting a top quality musical experience studying with very talented faculty but at the same time Luzerne realizes that these students are still children and like any child they want to have fun outside of just practicing all summer! Although they are expected to work hard they have plenty of time to be kids.

What can campers expect to learn working with you this summer?

This summer one of my main focuses will be on time management in practicing. As a piano instructor throughout the year, I have found that the biggest challenge for young musicians is being able to practice efficiently, independently from their parents. It can be hard for students to be on their own at a summer camp and still accomplish their learning goals without constant supervision. My goal for this summer is to equip each student with various tools and opportunities to work on music on their own and to show them how they can be successful independently. This is something they can carry with them in both their musical studies and many other areas of their life as they grow and mature.

See Michelle perform On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Strauss arr. Schulz-Evler